Lamb update

Seven of our breeding ewes have lambed so far with 10 lambs between them. There is one more ewe to go and although she looks pregnant she seems some way off giving birth. She must have played hard-to-get when the ram was in with them last autumn.

One lamb I had to deliver was breech and legs all-a-tangle. Sadly the ewe, which was our oldest in the flock, did not survive beyond the next day having needed to be put to sleep by the vet. This left us with an orphan ewe lamb which requires bottle feeding four times per day. We kept it in our utility room for the first week as the overnight temperatures were below freezing most days and she had no mother to keep her warm. She is out in the field with all the others now but follows me around close on my heels if I am out there with them.

Today the sun is out and temperatures are beginning to feel more spring-like at last, and right now the ewes and their lambs are dotted around in their family groups. Later this afternoon the lambs will have a burst of energy and run and jump around together in a big group. I'm hoping our orphan lamb will begin to join in too.

Bottle fed four times a day

Some of the lambs out in the sun with their mothers

The orphan spotted me across the vegetable plot and started
calling out to me. I was on my way to feed her in any case.